Wire-stretcher.



P. G DEAN.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

[NVENTOR F C. DEAN.

WITNESSES ccLuMuu PLANOGRAPH ISO-.WASHINGTON. Dg-C P. G. DEAN.

WIRE STRBTGHER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

LQ?5,337. Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES 1N VEN TOR W mew P C. DEAN W I f mks Azmrn y.

comm moauvu CO.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

P. G. DEAN.

WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1912 1,0?5fi3'7, Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co., WASHINGTON, DC.

PHILIP C. DEAN, OF ROSCOE, MONTANA.

WIEE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 1, 1912.

Patented Get. 14, 1913.

Serial No. 694,519.

T 0 aZZ whom 2'2? may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP C. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roscoe, in the county of Carbon and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to wire stretchers and the principal object of the same is to provide the stretcher with an improved type of clutch mechanism so that the wire may be stretched very tight.

There is provided a pair of clutches one of which is mounted upon a stationary member, and the other is mounted upon a movable member. The clutch is continually engaging the wire so that when the movable member is moved, the clutch will be released from the wire and the clutch upon the stationary member will engage the wire to hold the wire tight, while the movable member is moved to obtain a new grip upon the wire.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view showing the stretcher applied to a post with parts of the stretcher removed to show the construction of the interior portions. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stretcher. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the stretcher. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the clutch shown in F ig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view of the clutch shown adjacent the post in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the clutch shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the crank arm which passes through the movable member. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a modified form of stretcher. Fig. 9 is an edge view of the stretcher shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of the frame carrying one of the clutches. is an enlarged plan view of one of the clutches.

Referring to the accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention comprises the two bracing members 10 and 11, each of which is provided with the arms 12 and 13. A lower arm 13 is provided with a sharpened end 14, and the upper arm carries an adjustable pointed member 15. The member 15 is held in place by means of the bolt 16 which connects the arms 13 and passes through the slot 17.- A wing nut 18 1s provid'ed so that the member '15 may be held Fig. 11

in an adjusted position. .A bar 19 carries the lugs 20 which are mounted upon the bolt 16 so that the bar 19 will be held in place. It should be noted that the upper lug 20 is cut to provide the shoulder 21 which prevents rotation of the lugs upon the bolt 16. A wheel 21 is rotatably mounted at the lower end of the bar 19 and a clutch 22 is pivot-ally mounted at the upper end of the bar 19. The clutch is of such size that when in a lowered position, its roughened face 23 is very close to the wheel 21 and acts to grip wire passing between the wheel and the clutch. A chain 24 is connected with the bar 19 and carries a hook 25 which is adapted to engage the post. A hook 26 which is constructed somewhat similar to a cant hook is pivotally mounted upon a pin 27 between the arms 12. The hook is curved for the major portion of its length and is provided with a tooth 27 at its end which engages the post and has its opposite end portion bent to form a handle 28 by means of which the hook can be rocked upon its pivot point.

When applying this device to a post, the hook 26, and the hook 25 are passed around the post, as far as possible until the ends of the arm 13 and member 15 come in contact with the post. The device is then pressed downwardly so that the point 14 is driven into the post, and the hooks are also drawn into the post. The member 15 is now moved toward the post until its point is in contact with the post and is secured in the adjusted position by the wing nut 18. Upon releasing the device, the point of the member 15 will be drawn into the post, and the structure will then be securely held to the post.

The bracing members 10 and 11 are connected by the bolt 29 upon which there is mounted a .cam 30. The cam 30 is shaped as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with an enlarged portion 31 upon which a clutch 32 is pivotally mounted. A semicircular shoulder 33 is carried by the cam 30 and is provided with a side flange 34. Bushings 35 and 36 are mounted upon the bolt 29 t each side of the cam, and hold the cam in place. A handle 37 is mounted upon the bolt 29 between the cam 30 and the bushing 36, and a link 38 is pivotally mounted upon the handle 37. A crank shaft 39 is pivotally mounted in an opening formed in the shoulder 31, adj acen; the clutch 32. A spring 40 is rigidly mounted upon the crank shaft 39 and when the crank shaft is rotated by the link 38, the spring is brought into and out of engagement with the clutch 32 so that the clutch may be moved. into engagement with the shoulder 33 to clutch a wire passing between the shoulder 33 and the clutch 32. It will also be noted that when the handle 37 is rocked the link will move the spring to throw the clutch 32 into an operative position, and the cam will be rotated so that the wire will be drawn between the clutch 22 and wheel 21 and drawn tight. After the handle has been moved as far as possible in the direction to tighten the wire, it is returned to its original position, and this slackens the wire slightly so that the clutch 22 will be thrown into operation and the wire gripped between the clutch 22 and held tightly in place. hen the handle is moved to the right of the position shown in Fig. 1, the link 38 turns the rock shaft so that the spring is moved out of engagement with the clutch 32, thus releasing the wire from the clutch and permitting the cam to be rotated so that a new grip can be obtained upon the wire. It will thus be seen that there has been provided a mechanism wherebv the wire is gripped and drawn tight and when the gripping means is released the wire will be gripped by a second clutch and held tight, while a new grip is obtained by the first clutch. It will thus be seen that the wire does not slack when a new grip is being taken by the clutch. A second handle 41 is pivotally mounted upon the bracing member 10 by means of the bolt 42, and carries a clutch 43 which is pivotally mounted upon a bolt 44. A block 45 is mounted upon the handle 41 adjacent the clutch 43, and carries a plate 46 which overhangs the clutch 43 and forms a guide to prevent a wire which passes between the clutch 43 and the block 45 from slipping off the block. This clutch 43 is used when the device is used as a mid wire take up, so that a wire which is broken between two posts may have its ends drawn together and twisted. When using this device for this purpose, one end portion of the wire would be engaged by the clutch 43, and the opposite end portion by the clutch 32, the handles being moved so that the ends of the wire will overlap, thus permitting them to be twisted together. It will be seen that there has been provided a wire stretcher which may be easily applied to a post, and which can draw the wire very tight, since the wire can be stretched for a certain amount and then held in the stretched condition while a new grip is obtained upon the wire.

The operation of this device has been brought out in the description of the various parts, and, therefore, a detail description of this operation is not necessary.

In Figs. 8 through 11, I have shown a slightly modified form of stretcher in which there is provided a lower bar 47 and an upper bar 48 extending parallel to the bar 47, these bars having pins 49 and 50 passing through them and the outer ends of the bars being held in spaced relation by means of the block 51. The ends of the bars 47 and 48 are provided. with cut-out portions 52 so that the bars will grip a post and thus assist in preventing the stretcher from slipping. The bars 53 and 54 are mounted upon the pin 49, the bar 53 being positioned between the bars 47 and 48 and separated by a block 55 and the bar 54 being positioned above the bar 48. The outer ends of the bars 53 and 54 are connected by a pivot pin 56 upon which there is pivotally mounted a hook 57. An arm 58 is mounted upon the pin 50, and a clutch 59 is mounted upon the pin 50 above the arm 58 and rests upon the arm.

It should be noted that the free end of the clutch is curved and provided with teeth so that a wire which passes between the clutch and the toothed roller 60 will be gripped by the clutch. A plate 61 is mounted upon the pivot pin 62 of the roller 60 so that the wire will be prevented from slipping off the roller. A bracing rod 63 is attached to the under face of the arm 58 and to the side of the bar 48 so that the arm 58 will be braced. A plate 64 is pivotally mounted upon the pin 49 above the bar 48, and carries an arcuate shoulder 65 which acts with the clutch 66 to grip the wire passing between the clutch 59 and roller 60. The clutch 66 is mounted upon the pivot pin 67 and is provided with an enlarged toothed head 68 which engages the wire. Arms 69 extend from opposite sides of the clutch so that the clutch may be swung into engagement with pin 49 outside the shoulder 65 so that the wire will be prevented from slipping from the shoulder. A lever 71 is pivotally mounted beneath the bar 48 upon a pin carried by the bar 48 and a link 7 2 has one end pivotally mounted upon a pin 73 carried by the lever 71. A shaft 74 is pivotally mounted in the plate 64 adjacent the clutch 66, and the link 72 is mounted upon one end portion of the shaft so that when the lever is moved a spring 7 5 carried by the opposite end portion of the shaft may be moved into and out of engagement with the head of the clutch 66. hen the lever is rocked toward the plate the clutch 66 will be brought into engagement with the shoulder 65. When using this device, it is operated similarly to the form shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the bars 47 and '48 are placed against the post, and the hook swung around the post so that its point will engage the opposite face of the post. The bars are then turned upon the point so that the end of the hook and the points of the bars will be forced into the post thus tightly holding the stretcher in place. Before the bars are released the wire is drawn between the clutch 59 and roller 60, and drawn as tight as possible so that when released the wire will place a tension upon the bars, thus holding the stretcher in place. The wire is carried from the clutch 59 over the shoulder 65, and between the shoulder and clutch 66. The lever 71 is pushed toward the post so that the wire may be gripped by the clutch 66 as near the clutch 59 as possible. The lever is now drawn away from the post and when drawn from the post, the link 72 turns the shaft so that the clutch 66 engages the wire and turns the plate so that the wire is tightened. If it is desired to tighten the wire a greater amount the lever is turned toward the post again, and thus releases the wire from the clutch 66 and permits the clutch 59 to again engage the wire. It will thus be seen that the operation of this type of stretcher is very similar to the operation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

That is claimed is 1. A stretcher comprising a frame, a clutch carried by said frame, a movable member mounted in said frame, a clutch mounted upon said movable member, a rocker shaft passing through said movable member and having one end engaging said clutch, a handle mounted in said frame and connected to said rocker shaft, said handle being adapted to move said movable member and to rotate said rocker shaft to move said lastmentioned clutch into and out of operative position.

2. A stretcher comprising a frame, a clutch carried by said frame, a disk rotatably mounted in said frame, a clutch mounted upon said disk, a rocker shaft passin through said disk, a spring carried by said rocker shaft and adapted to engage said clutch, a handle pivotally mounted in said frame, and a link connecting said handle with said rocker shaft whereby the movement of said handle will rotate said disk and turn said crank shaft to bring said spring into and out of engagement with said lastmentioned clutch.

3. A stretcher of the character described comprising a frame having upper and lower bars, pins connecting said bars, a clutch mounted upon one of said pins, a plate mounted upon the other of said pins, a clutch carried by said plate, a shaft passing through said plate and adapted to throw said last mentioned clutch into and out of operative posit-ion, a lever pivotally mounted upon one of said bars, a link connecting said lever with said shaft, and a hook carried by said frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, PHILIP C. DEAN.

WVitnesses:

R. C. HOWARD, D. W. THAYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

